Slavery
by Wild Force Ranger
Summary: He has no memories, knows nothing but this one fact; the Rangers will pay for what they've done to him.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: I own nothing. From a prompt by serpentine85. First of three fics.

Chapter One

He wakes each morning in a world where things are not as they're supposed to be. How it's different, he's not sure. He only knows that there used to be a balance, a rhythm, a flow. Now these people he knows, and yet does not know, tell him he must do things which bring violence and destruction, noise and confusion, when all he wants is to sit awhile and try to find something in this harshness that feels familiar.

Sometimes it's like he can't recognise himself; this warrior of darkness, who was born to destroy the world. Sometimes he has doubts, doubts he cannot take to Master Xandred, who gave him back his purpose and set him on his path when the rangers had all but destroyed him. Still, in the back of his mind he knows when he wakes each morning that things are not as they're supposed to be.

He goes upworld every day. It's necessary; if he doesn't go he becomes ill, weak and shaky. His Master tells him it's a curse placed on him by the Rangers to ensure he can never rest. Another sign of how much they hate him, that they chose his suffering over his death.

He doesn't always fight. Master Xandred has very particular plans, and he does not tolerate deviations.

He thinks part of the plan might be to induce paranoia in the Rangers. Whenever he goes to the city they turn up. They never attack first - _'They're trying to lure you to fight where they have the advantage,' Master Xandred tells him. 'Always fight on your terms!'_ – but they make sure he knows they're there, lurking in his eyeline. The tall one who wears blue tends to glare. The others mostly look sad. After a while the girls stop coming. He's not sure why they bother coming at all. He always uses moogers where he's attacking, after all.

Mostly he ignores the Rangers. He walks by the harbour or sits at an outdoor cafe and watches people pass by. It's surprisingly peaceful.

The only time the Rangers approach him, he's standing by a children's playground. He's not really watching them, mind drifting, but he can hear the cries and laughter. Laughter is in very short supply aboard Master Xandred's ship.

"What do you think you're doing?"

He turns his head to see the blue ranger glaring at him from less than a foot away. "Standing?" he suggests, because he known being flip will anger this one. "Looking? Breathing? Which one is bothering you today?"

The ranger snarls. "If you're planning on hurting those kids..."

"Hurting them?" He looks back at the children, baffled. Why would he attack children? They can't hurt him.

"Kevin." That's – he must be the gold ranger, because the other one's wearing green.

He's never quite been able to figure the gold ranger out. Highly skilled, if unorthodox, but he never uses those skills in their battles. He fights exactly hard enough to keep the fight going; he never goes for killing or even disabling shots, even when they're left open to him.

For a while the gold ranger had tried to claim the rangers were his friends, that they were trying to protect him and help him. He'd ignored it all, let it wash over him – _'They'll lie to you,' his master said, 'until you trust them, and then they'll betray you and rejoice in it'_ – until the day the ranger claimed Master Xandred had taken his memories and lied to him.

He broke his arm, two ribs, and damn near put his knee permanently out of joint before walking away, barely able to see past the red haze of fury. Only his Master's orders - _"hurt them all you want, but don't kill them; I want them to_ know _they are defeated_" – saved the ranger's life.

Now the ranger takes a step forward, one hand out. "Kevin, he wasn't going to. Take a step back, all right?"

'Kevin' glowers but obeys. The gold ranger takes another step forward; probably unconsciously, he's turned to shield his side, where the ribs were broken. "I know you weren't thinking that," he says quietly. "But you're really freaking Kevin and Mike out, and I can't stop both of them. Can you – please – go somewhere else?"

He considers. It makes little difference to him where he goes, but it's clearly important to them. "Tell you what," he drawls, just to see if he can annoy the blue one again. "Stop following me around, and I'll stay away from children."

"No way!" Kevin bursts out, and – must be Mike – hastily shushes him.

The gold ranger's studying him. It's oddly disarming, as though he can see what he's thinking. "All right," he says finally. Kevin protests again and he says sharply, "It's not like Jayden hides –"

"Jarrell," he corrects him.

"What?"

"Jarrell. You know that."

The gold ranger flinches, looking away. "It's not like he hides his attacks," he says more quietly. "Why do you come up here, Jay – Jarrell?"

"Because you made sure I can't stay on the ship," he says sharply, turning to leave. That other name always makes him angry, and he has just promised not to fight near the children.

He ignores the broken "Wait!" coming from behind him.

The rangers stay away after that unless he's there to fight.

He doesn't always go to the city, though. Sometimes he goes up into the hills or out into the forest instead. He finds a temple in the hills with a large wooden gate; it draws him in, but the monks are wary of him and after a while the green ranger turns up, unmorphed, to watch him.

"What is this?" he asks, fingers skating over the wood without touching it. He's careful with his tone; the green ranger's not nearly as strong a fighter as the blue, but he's far more creative, and without the yellow one here there's little chance he can be distracted if he decides this is turning into a fight.

The ranger paces up beside him, staring at the gate. "This is where the Nighlok were defeated the first time."

"I see."

"Are you planning on attacking any time soon? Only I've got plans, so..."

"Do you see any Moogers around, Mike?"

"You know my name," he says, diverted.

"You know mine," he says mildly. "The gold ranger said yours the other day."

Disappointment flashes across Mike's face. "He did, didn't he...I don't see any Moogers."

"Then I guess I'm not attacking. I don't fight just to fight."

The words spark something and he gropes for the memory, but it's gone before he can grasp it. He's careful not to let it show on his face.

"Then why do you fight?"

"I fight when my master tells me to."

"He's not your master. You're not a Nighlok." Mike says this in the tone of one who's said the same thing many times before, and maybe he has; there are still more holes than actual memories in Jarrell's mind. _All part of the curse,_ Master Xandred tells him.

"No," he agrees, "because you cursed me." Familiar anger is hovering, but he holds it off with an effort. Something about this place makes him reluctant to fight here.

"No. You're not a Nighlok, dude. You're human, you were born human."

His phone rings. Jarrell watches, expressionless, as he listens for a moment before looking up.

"One of your buddies is attacking. I have to go help the others. Do I have your word you're not going to attack here?"

"Would you take my word?"

"Take more'n Xandred to make you break your word once you'd given it."

He thinks for a moment. "I won't attack _first_."

"Good enough. Daisuke!" One of the monks appears and Mike tells him "Jay – Jarrell's given his word not to attack first. Keep your people away from him, everything's fine, ok?"

"Agreed," Daisuke says.

"I only wanted to look at the gate," he says quietly. "I have no ill will towards you or your people."

Daisuke nods. "Go, Mike. We will be fine." Mike goes, reluctantly. "Do you wish to hear the history of the gate, Jayden?"

"Jarrell." He fights off the anger accompanying that name. "No. I know the history, Daisuke."

He pronounces it the Japanese way, not the way Mike did. The flash of surprise from the old monk doesn't register with him until much later.

He doesn't go there again, and if his master knows he went there he doesn't mention it. He knows he's watched when he roams upworld; he can sense the gaps, and Nighlok don't really understand subtlety. He was questioned for two days after the meeting by the playground, released only when it was clear he was too ill to continue and left to Octoroo's tender mercies. He's never quite understood the questions; Master Xandred knows he's loyal, and the questions were about the words used by the rangers. There was no hint of censure for talking to the rangers in the first place.

The forest becomes his new haunt. Quiet and deep, he can easily hear others coming in plenty of time to avoid being seen. If the rangers know he's there, they don't come after him.

They don't have much time. Master Xandred is stepping up his plans. There's an attack almost every day now. He fights when he's told to, provides tactical insight when asked, and otherwise stays as far away from them as possible. Though he never refuses, of course, there's something about terrorizing civilians that sits badly with him, no matter how often his master explains it.

"What are you doing here?"

He startles, rising to his feet. The newcomer eyes him. "Shouldn't you be in the city with the others?"

_Nighlok_, his senses say, and a moment later, _human_. The dissonance makes him dizzy and he reaches unobtrusively for the nearest tree. "Who are you?" he asks carefully.

The man eyes him again, more sharply. "Who are you?"

"Jarrell."

"Jarrell's a Nighlok warrior." He raises his chin defiantly and the man laughs softly. "That explains a few things."

"What things?"

"I'm surprised Master Xandred lets you wander around loose."

"My master trusts me."

"Hmm."

A gap flares and Octoroo appears. The man smiles grimly. "Never mind. Here comes your handler now."

"Ooh ah ooh. What are you doing here, Deker?"

The man – Deker – sketches a mocking bow. "I'm searching for the ultimate duel." His gaze flicks to Jarrell, who doesn't react.

"You won't find it here."

"No," Deker agrees. "I thought the red ranger would be my opponent."

"Red ranger?" he says involuntarily.

"Go back to the ship," Octoroo tells him. He obeys, glancing once more at Deker before stepping through the nearest gap.

It leaves him feeling sick, as always. Octoroo finds him kneeling by the shore, trying to calm his stomach. "Ooh ah ooh," he sighs. "Let's get you on board."

"Who is Deker?"

"If you see him again, walk away," Octoroo orders, and he bows his head obediently. Orders from Master Xandred's court are as orders coming from the master himself. "Don't speak to him or listen to him. Now come along."

The sight of Master Xandred, as always, soothes him, calming his thoughts and easing his dizziness. Dayu ignores him, but that's not new and he's not surprised. She hasn't yet spoken directly to him. At least Octoroo isn't cruel, just business-like.

He finds a corner of the room, sits seiza, and gazes at his master.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: Enjoy. :D

Chapter Two

He's allowed upworld only to fight for the next few days. It's enough for his curse, but only just. By day six he can't stand on his own. The rocking of the ship keeps unbalancing him and he can't seem to adjust.

Surprisingly, it's Dayu who comes to his rescue, pausing in her playing to comment, "Your warrior seems to have outlived his usefulness."

He doesn't protest. The trips aren't long enough, not when he has to fight instead of rest, and he's not sure how much longer he can keep going.

Master Xandred stomps over to glare at him. "I've been sending him upworld!"

"Not for long enough, apparently." Dayu resumes playing.

There's a lot more arguing, which he doesn't join in with because his opinion is not asked, but eventually he's released back to the forest with Dayu as a chaperone. She seems content to sit by the side of a stream, strumming idly. He leans against a tree nearby, eyes closed, and lets himself drift. The sun is warm and the music is soporific.

He isn't so far gone that he doesn't know when Deker appears. Dayu keeps playing, but her music acquires a sour edge. He keeps his eyes closed, feigning sleep.

"Babysitting the little prince?" Deker asks. He sounds amused. "How long does he think he can keep this up?"

"It doesn't matter." If Dayu were human, he'd think she sounded tired. "The only way out of this for him is death, and then Master Xandred wins anyway."

"Maybe. He's overcome worse things."

He can't follow the pronouns, doesn't know when they're talking about him and when they're talking about the master. It doesn't make sense.

"He's forbidden to talk to you."

"I've no doubt. The traps in his mind will prevent the rangers from reaching him, but they won't stop me."

"Do you think you could do it?" Dayu sounds curious.

"I knew him well enough once."

"Master Xandred would really kill you."

"He's tried before," Deker says dismissively.

"What will you do?" she asks softly. "The red ranger can't fight you now."

"Maybe."

"Deker..."

"If I anger Master Xandred enough, perhaps he'll order the fight."

"If you anger him enough he'll withhold the fight. He knows what it means to you. Surely there are other warriors who could free you."

"None with his spirit." Deker sighs. "We waited so long, my sword Urumasa and I. I thought our curse was finally over."

"I'm sorry, Deker," Dayu offers, and she sounds sincere.

He shifts and Dayu sighs. "You should go. If he wakes and sees you he'll tell Master Xandred you were here."

"I'll go," Deker agreed. There's a faint noise and then nothing but Dayu's music.

He lets another minute or two pass before he shifts again and looks around.

"There you are," Dayu says impatiently. "Think you can stand upright now?"

He rises to his feet, reaching for the nearest gap. It hadn't been long enough, not really, but Dayu's done what she came for and it'll do him for now.

Master Xandred is more careful after that, sending him upworld often enough to get some rest before battles. He's forced to break his promise to the Rangers; he's often in the city for some time before he starts an attack, and after a while they start following him around again. He keeps away from children anyway. Casualties in battle are one thing; deliberately putting them in harms' way is something else.

He tries staying out in the forest until it's time to attack, but Master Xandred has figured out that the Rangers don't always watch him, and he's ordered back to the city. Eventually they turn up automatically whenever he arrives. It's wearying; he misses the freedom of anonymity.

He walks into what's essentially an ambush one day. They don't start the fight, but they must have been planning this for a while. Each of them distracts him for just long enough, and he realises a hair too late what's going on.

The blue ranger completes a symbol and sends it spinning at him. He throws up an arm instinctively, but it doesn't hit him, just flares blinding white. When his vision clears, he's standing in a clear box; high enough to stand, deep enough to take two steps, wide enough for another two, and completely featureless.

He stretches out his senses, but the edges are smooth and he can't feel any gaps. He touches one side; there's no pain, which surprises him a little, but there's also no give. Folding his arms, he watches the rangers slowly approach. From the feel of the walls, they've all drained themselves dry creating it. If Master Xandred is watching, he'll launch another attack while they're too weak to do anything else.

The rangers demorph, spreading out to circle the box. He stays exactly where he is, watching the gold and blue rangers, the only ones in his field of view.

"Do you think this will hold?" he asks conversationally.

"No," the gold one says honestly. "Not for long. Long enough, I hope."

"Long enough for what?" His own power is sliding around theirs, reading the energy, finding the gaps and wriggling in. He'll break through. There are always gaps and overlaps when five different people join together on a project like this, no matter how close they are.

"Long enough for you to listen to me. Jayden..."

He snarls. "Jarrell." He thumps the wall in front of him, and this time it throws up sparks. "My name is Jarrell!"

"Antonio," Kevin says worriedly.

"Jarrell," Antonio concedes. One of the girls muffles a cry; he doesn't turn.

"I'm not listening to anything you have to say."

"Xandred is lying to you," Mike says from somewhere on his left. He grits his teeth, forcing himself to stay still. The anger is building and he funnels it into his power, forcing it into the walls of his cell, chiselling away at the edges. "He's not your master and he's not your friend. He's the one who did this to you, Jayden, not us."

"Jarrell!"

"Jayden!" Mike yells back at him. "Jayden Shiba, eighteenth head of the Shiba house!"

The walls flare under the pressure he's putting on them, and Antonio moves enough to glare at Mike. "Stop it."

"Antonio..."

"That's not the way! We talked about this!"

"Your source is a half human Nighlok who wants to kill him!"

"He needs him alive first!"

"Jayden?"

He half turns to see one of the girls – yellow, he thinks – standing with one hand on the wall of his cell. There are cracks in the spells right under her fingers; she has to be able to feel them.

Although with her symbol power so low, maybe she can't. Maybe she really isn't sensitive enough. She certainly isn't reacting.

She studies him for a moment before turning to the others; Mike and Antonio have stopped yelling, and both are tensed to pull her away. Moving slowly, she opens her morpher, draws a symbol – Kevin grimaces but doesn't stop her – and shoots it at the cell. The walls shatter into dust.

He frowns, automatically backing out of their loose circle to open ground. He doesn't ask, but she volunteers anyway, "It's not the way to get you to trust us."

"I will never trust you," he tells her, and he means it with everything in him, and he knows she can tell.

"We are not your enemies," she insists. "Jayden..."

It's once too many; he can't hold off the anger any more, lunging for her. The boys get in the way and there are several confusing moments before he puts them down, crouching over her. Kevin and the pink one have morphed but he's holding his blade and they back off; the other two are on the ground, and Mike's not moving.

"My name," he tells her deliberately, "is Jarrell. Say it."

"No."

"_Say_ it."

"No." She isn't afraid, he realises suddenly; it throws him enough that he withdraws, just a little, not enough to let her up. "I will never believe that you will hurt me, Jayden."

His hand shakes and he pulls it back instinctively, away from her. "Don't..." He has to close his eyes to hold back the anger, and when he opens them again she's gone, on her feet and keeping Kevin and the pink one back with one outstretched hand. "Don't say that name," he says finally, rising to his feet. Antonio stands at the same time, taking a step to put himself in front of Mike.

The other two fall out of morph, power completely drained. He wonders again, vaguely, where the expected second attack is. His master could walk into the city right now and face no opposition.

"Don't go back there," the yellow one says softly. "Please. You don't have to – not with us, but you can stay here, in the city, please. Don't go to him. He's poisoning you."

"_Stop_."

"Yeah, Em," Antonio agrees suddenly. "Stop." He glances at Jarrell. "Do you wanna fight some more, or are you done for right now?"

A glow from the nearest gap answers him, and he sighs. "See you around, I guess. Kev, give me a hand."

"Antonio..."

"Give me. A hand," Antonio says very deliberately. "Over here. And not in his way."

Jarrell goes to the gap, glancing back at the rangers. They're gathered around Mike, but Em is watching him; when she catches his eye she smiles sadly before turning to help.

He turns his back, stepping through the gap and home.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Master Xandred questions him for most of a day before sending him back to battle again. The rangers are more reluctant than ever to fight him; he mostly ends up facing the gold and blue rangers. Em never comes near him, and when he goes after her he gets intercepted.

They seem to have given up on talking to him; they just fight him, now. Kevin has even shifted to attempting disabling blows. He's never landed one yet, but he's trying.

It's some time before Master Xandred allows him upworld for anything other than a fight. He stays out of the city, knowing they'll be watching for him there.

Deker's in the forest, sitting calmly on a stump. Jarrell hesitates, wondering how far he can push Octoroo's orders.

"I thought you were supposed to ignore me," Deker says abruptly. Jarrell turns away and the warrior is suddenly in front of him. "Doesn't it bother you?"

"What?" he says involuntarily.

"You know this isn't right. You know Master Xandred is lying..."

Anger flares and he throws Deker off, turning to slide through the nearest gap. Octoroo is waiting, clearly angry. "Ooh ah ooh, you're supposed to walk away from him!"

"I did," he protests.

Master Xandred roars from the ship. "Get back to the city!" he orders. "Don't come back until at least one of those rangers is dead!"

He bows, slipping back through the gap. It takes him back to the same clearing. Deker is still there.

And so is Antonio.

They're arguing, but they break off when he appears. Antonio quickly holds up both hands, empty. "Not looking to fight."

"Then why are you here?" His orders are tugging him towards the city, but he can delay a moment.

"To talk."

He looks around pointedly. "But I'm not stuck in a cage."

Antonio flinches. "That was – I'm sorry. You aren't listening, and we got frustrated. But it was stupid. We won't be doing that again."

"The others don't know you're here."

"The others specifically said I shouldn't do this. They're pretty sure you'll kill me on sight."

He glances towards the city; the need to move is growing. "I don't fight just to fight."

"I know. But you're following orders –"

"Careful," Deker warns him.

"- doing things you never would have done before. Think, Jayden –"

"Jarrell!"

"_Careful_," Deker says again.

"Jarrell," Antonio mutters. "You don't like fighting. You don't like destruction. You don't like hurting civilians or putting them at risk."

"Master Xandred saved me."

"No. Well, technically, yes. But it wasn't us who attacked you. One of his Nighlok did. Please, will you listen?"

He glances towards the city again. "I can't stay."

"Where are you going?" Antonio follows his gaze. "Another attack?"

"Yes."

"Please don't."

"My master has ordered it."

"What order?" Deker asks. "What were the words?"

"Go to the city. Don't return until at least one Ranger is dead."

Antonio flinches again. Deker shrugs. "There's no hurry, then."

"I have to return to the Sanzu..."

"The Sanzu's killing you," Antonio interrupts. "Have you seen you lately? When's the last time you slept?"

"I sleep when I need it." He can't remember the last time. He's sure he used to sleep on the ship, but it doesn't seem to happen anymore.

"Or ate?"

"The Sanzu sustains me."

He throws up his hands, turning to Deker. "It's like talking to a wall."

"I told you."

Antonio sighs, turning back to him. "Do you remember Ji?"

Anger burns hot and fast and he turns away, fisting his hands.

"I'm guessing you know the name," Antonio mutters. "You saw him, early on, but I don't think you remember that. What do you think you know about him?"

"He trained you."

"You trained me."

He shakes his head. "Ji is the ranger's mentor, he trains them."

"He trained you," Antonio says carefully. "You trained me."

"Your style isn't anything like mine."

"Well, you didn't get to train me for very long."

"You're not making sense." He glances towards the city again; someone is watching through a nearby gap and the need to move, to obey his master, is burning in him.

"Don't go," Antonio says softly.

"I have my orders."

"You have a choice," Deker tells him. "Doing the right thing is always worth the effort."

The words are familiar and he hesitates, trying to follow the thread. Antonio goes to speak and Deker stops him, watching carefully.

"In...a cave," he says finally.

"Yes," Deker agrees.

"We were fighting."

"Yes."

"You're Nighlok."

"And you're not."

Anger again. He turns away; he's on the verge of attacking one or both of them.

Antonio's very close when he speaks again. "You are human. You and I, we were friends as children and you taught me how to fight. Ji raised you..." He raises his voice over Jarrell's snarl. "To fight against the Nighlok. Xandred's not your master, he's your enemy. Please."

Jarrell slams him into the nearest tree. Antonio catches his wrists but doesn't try to break free, just holds on. "He's not your master," he repeats softly. "Please, come home."

"I could kill you."

"You're better than I am, and the others don't know we're here," Antonio agrees.

He looks over his shoulder at Deker, who's watching them. "Oh, I'm not going to step in," he says mildly. "This is your battle."

He looks back at Antonio, who still isn't struggling, just watching with the same lack of fear that Em had showed. "I could kill you," he says again, but even in his own ears it's weak.

"You're capable, but I don't think you can." Antonio lets go of his wrists, placing his fate entirely in Jarrell's hands.

He lets go too quickly for Antonio to react, backhanding him into the tree. Antonio goes down, dazed and completely out of it.

"Now what?" Deker asks.

"Now I'm going to the city." He heads off without looking back.

Moogers follow him into the city. He watches dully as the rangers arrive; he doesn't fight himself, only stands back and watches. None of them attempt to get near him, either.

Antonio arrives as the last of the moogers go down. He's unmorphed, pale and unsteady, and the others hurry to surround him.

"What happened?" Kevin asks, and then seems to realise. "You do this?" he yells at Jarrell. He inclines his head and Kevin turns back to Antonio. "We have to stop this."

"Yes," Antonio agrees. Pushing Kevin gently to one side, he takes a few steps towards Jarrell. "Let's go, then."

Jarrell is frozen, staring at him. A moment later, the pink ranger powers down, stepping up to Antonio's side and throwing her morpher behind her.

"You have to kill one of us, right?" she says, and it takes him a moment to realise Antonio must have called them before he got here. "Here. I'm not going to fight you."

"No, me." Mike demorphs too, coming up on Antonio's other side just in time to catch him when he sways. Em follows suit.

"We were in a battle," Antonio says. "All of us, against a Nighlok. On the cliffs, outside of town. You went over the edge and by the time we got down there, you were gone. We don't know how he did it, but Xandred..." Jarrell growls and he winces apologetically, "he's done something to your mind, and he's protected it, to keep you from remembering."

"Protected it how?" Mike asks.

Antonio gestures loosely. "When we try and talk about it, he gets angry. When we use his name, he gets angry. Mention Master Xandred..."

"He gets angry," Mike agrees.

"Too angry to think about anything else. We've all seen it. He's remembered some stuff about Deker, I don't think it occurred to – the Nighlok whose name we won't say – to seal that."

"What stuff?" Kevin asks.

"The cave. During Arachnitor's attacks."

"You were there," Kevin points out. "You saved him."

"He doesn't remember that part."

A gap flares nearby and Jarrell jerks. "Kill them!" Master Xandred howls. "What are you waiting for? Kill them now!"

"Here." The pink one steps in front of him. He lifts his blade slowly, and she smiles gently. "You are Jayden Shiba, eighteenth leader of the Power Rangers Samurai. You are my leader, and my friend. I am not afraid of you, and I will not defend myself against you."

"Fight back," he breathes.

"No."

"_Mia._"

"No," she repeats. "I'm not going to fight you." She glances towards the gap. "Your master's waiting. Go ahead."

"No." Mike takes a step forward. "Me."

"I've known him longer than anyone," Antonio protests. "Me."

Kevin demorphs, coming to join them.

"Kill them!" Master Xandred rages.

Antonio glances at the gap. "Time to decide who you are."

He takes a step backwards, feeling suddenly crowded. "I..."

"I'm sorry." And Antonio really does look sorry. "It's him or us. You have to decide."

"Kill them! Do it now!"

"He saved me," Jarrell whispers.

"No," Antonio says gently. "He twisted you all around and he's killing you slowly."

His blade hits the ground and he looks down at it. When did he let it go?

Moogers and Octoroo boil out of the gap and the rangers form up around him; Kevin jumps over two moogers to retrieve the morphers on the ground, slinging them back to Mia and Mike.

"Jarrell!" Octoroo yells. "What are you doing?"

He shudders. Antonio, more or less steady on his feet now, flashes him a surprisingly sympathetic smile.

"I'm choosing a side." He bends down and picks up his blade, lifting it into a ready position.

"Think about this," Octoroo warns him. "Master Xandred saved you! The rangers will only turn on you again!"

"Maybe." He takes a step forward; he's directly behind Mia now. "But I feel a lot safer with them than I do with you." And he plunges his blade into the Mooger she's fighting.

Octoroo howls in rage, and from the gap Master Xandred roars "You'll pay for that!" Jarrell stumbles briefly, the urge to drop the sword and beg forgiveness surging before he can get it back under control, but he turns his back and keeps fighting, tearing through his former foot soldiers. Octoroo doesn't fight himself, just yells threats from the sidelines and retreats once the moogers are taken down.

Jarrell slumps to the ground, completely drained. The rangers demorph, approaching warily; only Antonio seems unconcerned, dropping beside him.

"Jayden," Kevin starts.

Anger flares and he tenses helplessly. Antonio looks up warningly and Kevin nods. "Sorry. Jarrell, then. Do you remember us?"

"No."

"If we take you back to the – house," he corrects himself, "what's going to happen?" Jarrell shakes his head uncomprehendingly, and Kevin explains, "Our mentor's one of the triggers, right? What happens if you see him?"

"I don't know. I'm not – it doesn't happen with you."

"He needed to able to order you to fight us," Antonio pointed out. "He couldn't use us as triggers."

Jarrell shifts – this is skating close to things he can't think about – and a flare of pain surprises him. Em catches it, dropping next to him. "Are you hurt?" She touches his side and her fingers come away red. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I don't feel it," he says vaguely, looking down. Even looking at the injury, he doesn't feel any pain.

"We have to take him back to the house," she tells the others. "We have to risk it!"

Antonio shifts. "You don't have to," he says softly. "He doesn't have to," he repeats more loudly when Em protests. "He has choices. We want you to stay," he adds to Jarrell. "But we're not going to force you."

Jarrell looks up sharply as the gap flares again. "Did you think you could just walk away from me?" Master Xandred roars. "I hold your mind in my hands, red ranger! You'll regret this!"

"Do what you will," Jarrell says tiredly. "I will not follow you any more."

The rangers scramble to get between him and the gap, attempting to block whatever Master Xandred's trying to do. Antonio hauls him to his feet and drags him along; he doesn't fight, following as best he can. He's losing energy fast, though, and after a couple of minutes he goes down and can't find it in himself to stand again.

"Jayden." Antonio's kneeling beside him.

"Sorry," he breathes. " 'Tonio – sorry..."

"Don't be sorry, keep fighting! Jayden!"

"_Jayden_!"


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: There's a timeskip from the end of the previous chapter. This will be explained in the next fic.

Chapter Four

He wakes in the Shiba house, in the recovery room.

As soon as he moves, he remembers. There's no flash, no pain; just memories. He still doesn't remember the fight Antonio claims took place on the cliff, but he remembers everything before that, remembers fighting and training and leading this team, his friends. He remembers attacking them, attacking the city, causing fear and terror to raise the Sanzu and release his master. He remembers the decision he made and Xandred's promise that he would regret it.

And then nothing; though from the feel of his side, some time has passed since then.

Shifting, he sits up. His side tugs slightly, but it's stiffness, not real pain; it'll work out as he moves. Antonio's sprawled across one of the other beds, but the room's empty apart from that. He glances at the window; it's not long before dawn.

He rises, heading for the door. Antonio wakes, pushing up on one elbow, but he doesn't try to stop or follow him, just watches him go.

He makes his way out to the bench in the yard and sits, one hand pressed into his side, to watch the sun rise. It's an old habit from his younger years, before the team, a way to center himself for the day ahead.

Ji appears shortly after dawn, watching him. "Jarrell? Is anything wrong? You're not usually up this early."

"Jayden."

He says it mostly as a test – he hasn't dared try yet, but both sets of memories tell him Ji can handle him long enough for the Rangers to get there if he has to – but there's nothing. A slight sensation, like a phantom itch, in the back of his mind, but no pain and no anger. He grins delightedly.

Ji drops to a crouch by the bench, studying him. "Jayden?" he asks softly.

"Yeah." Jayden smiles, leaning forward, and Ji meets him, wrapping his arms around him. They aren't tactile, the two of them, but he badly needs to touch someone right now, and Ji seems to feel the same way, holding on tightly.

He's managed to slide off the bench and they're sitting on the ground some time later when Mike clears his throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but we're starting to worry. Also, all the training stuff is out here."

Ji lets go, sitting up, and Jayden takes a moment to rub his cheeks discreetly before turning. "We all know how eager you are to train, Mike," he agrees solemnly.

"Hey, you...hey." He grins slowly. "Jayden?"

"Yeah." Jayden smiles, rising to his feet. "It's me."

The rangers crowd in and he finds himself backing up without meaning to. "Just –"

"Let him breathe," Ji interrupts. Jayden glances gratefully at him. "He's only just woken up."

"Sorry," Emily apologises.

"No, I'm sorry. For every –"

"Don't," Mike says over him, helping Ji to his feet. "None of that was really you. We know that. There's nothing to apologise for."

He looks at Emily, who nods. "Nothing."

"Jayden, you should eat," Ji tells him.

"I can fetch you something!" Mia offers.

"Thanks," he agrees.

"I got it." Antonio backs carefully through the door, balancing a tray. "Hey, Jay," he adds, smiling at him. "Nice to have you back."

"Nice to be back. Thank you," he adds, knowing Antonio will catch the second meaning.

Antonio grins, passing plates and glasses around the table. "At least come eat before you get soppy, all right?"

Jayden laughs, coming to join them. They'll have to talk – he still doesn't know what will happen if he faces Master Xandred again, for one, or whether he can still use gaps, for another, and he really has to apologise to them – but for now, for a morning, for a meal, he can enjoy being with his friends, in the light.


End file.
